“You’re going to wear out the floor if you keep pacing in that same spot,” Devon said.

I paused, not realizing I’d even been doing it. I was fucking exhausted, barely sleeping a wink last night. The minutes leading up to the early dawn had seemed like endless hours. I was filled with self-doubt, wondering what I should have done differently. Despite my exhausted state, I was also restless. I knew why, but I had to face facts. I was leaving Camp Riley in a matter of hours. When I did, I would leave behind the girl who meant more to me than any sunset or every single breath I took.

Devon and I were supposed to be packing, but evidently, he thought he was finished. He was lounging on his mattress, flipping through the pages of a magazine. I tossed the remaining few belongings that I’d brought with me into my navy duffel bag. Looking around the loft, I made sure nothing else was left.

“I think that’s your t-shirt,” I said to him and pointed over to the orange ball of material tossed haphazardly in the corner.

He glanced at it, then lazily got up from his perch to retrieve it.

“Thanks,” he mumbled, picking up the shirt and stuffing it into his own bag. Then he added, “Don’t forget your box of tapes.”

I glanced at the box of tapes that sat open on my bed. Their worn labels seemed to glare at me, every handwritten song title a reminder of all the nights I had listened to them with Cadence by the lake. I’d never be able to listen to them again without thinking of her.

“I’m leaving them. I can replace the music with CDs when I get home if I want to.”

“Dude, are you joking? You love those damn things,” he admonished. “I watched you for years, running to the stereo and timing it just right, not pressing record until the very last second when the DJ stopped talking. They’re like a work of art.”

“Yeah, well. Things change.”

He shot me an appraising look. I felt the muscles in my jaw bulge and tense.

“I noticed you skipped the performance this afternoon,” he pointed out.

“Big deal,” I stated flatly. “You know I couldn’t risk running into Cadence.”

Earlier that morning, as the camp filled with eager parents and the students buzzed with excitement, Devon and I worked to line up long rows of folding chairs in front of the stage. I was a nervous wreck the entire time, terrified I’d see Cadence on set. I knew if I saw her, my resolve would crumble. Devon noticed my odd behavior and asked what was wrong. That was when I filled him in on everything that had happened between me and Cadence the day before.

He’d told me I did the right thing, yet now, he stood there shaking his head, his lips pressed into a tight disapproving line.

“Our ride back home won’t be here for another two hours,” he pointed out.

“And?”

“Just saying,” he said with a shrug. “I’m going to head out and say goodbye to everyone. Most of the staff will be heading out soon.”

“Alright. I’ll catch up with you at the main entrance.”

Devon didn’t say more. He simply nodded and threw his body over the top rung of the ladder. Before descending, he paused and looked pointedly at me.

“You know…” he trailed off, hesitating. “Maybe I was wrong about breaking it off with Cadence. I mean, it is inevitable, but I didn’t expect you to be such a dick about it. There’s still time to fix it with her.”

I gave him a death glare.

“Break it off, don’t break it off! You can’t make up your damn mind. I did what I had to do. What’s done is done now.”

Devon shook his head.

“It’s your call, man.”

He disappeared down the ladder, leaving me alone to contemplate his words. I looked to the bale of hay where my duffle bag and a box of tapes sat. An ache clawed at my chest as I stared. Cadence should have those. Perhaps if she listened to them, she’d be reminded of me and what we shared here in this place.

Memories of all the nights we shared flashed before my eyes. I squeezed them shut, hoping to block out the visions, only to realize they’d forever be seared into my brain.

“Fuck it,” I swore under my breath.

I couldn’t leave things like this with her. Grabbing the box of tapes, I rushed out to find her.

I started the walk toward the cottage Cadence shared with her parents. The walk eventually turned into a jog, then to a full-blown sprint until I ran into a crowd of people. I pushed my way through the horde, each one of them smiling or laughing. Some were singing songs from the musical they’d just watched. Others talked loudly, offering words of congratulations. I barely saw or heard any of it. My only focus was getting to Cadence.

After what seemed like forever, I managed to get past the crowds and raced up the path toward the cottage on the hill. My feet pounded up the wooden steps of the front porch, stopping only when I reached the door. I banged my fist against the wooden frame.

“Cadence!” I called. More banging. “Cadence!”

I anxiously paced back and forth on the porch. Much to my disappointment, Jamison Riley and Dahlia came to the door. Not Cadence. Her father looked shocked to see me standing there. I stepped back, fairly certain I looked like a lunatic.

“Fitz. What can I do for you?”

“I need to see Cadence. Um… sir,” I stumbled, barely remembering my manners. Mr. Jimmy knew me even if it was only through a work relationship. Still, he was the father of the girl I loved. Making a good impression suddenly seemed to matter.

“She’s not here, Fitz. She left early this morning.”

Left?

My stomach dropped. I couldn’t be too late. I had to apologize. To fix this.

“What do you mean she left? Where did she go?”

Dahlia began to whine. Mr. Jimmy opened the door to let her out, then stepped out onto the porch to stand in front of me. He crossed his arms over his barreled chest and stared at me, conflict evident in his gaze.

“Fitz, look. I like you kid. I like you a lot actually, but I think it’s better if you just head on home and leave her be.”

“I mean no disrespect, sir, but I need to see her. You don’t understand.”

“Actually, I understand better than you think. I know you’ve been sneaking off to the lake with her all summer long. Her mother and I aren’t stupid, but we respect her privacy. She is eighteen after all. But I also know that you have certain obligations that don’t really add up to me.”

“Obligations?”

“Your father called nearly every week since camp started. He was checking in to see how things were going with you. Rest assured, I always gave him a good report. However, he said something last week that left me scratching my head. What’s this business about you getting married in September?”

Fuck!

I wanted to scream. I could only imagine how the situation looked.

“It’s complicated,” I stated, not knowing where to even begin.

“I’ll bet,” he stated caustically. His tongue clicked, and I half wondered if he was literally going to pick me up by the shirt front and toss me off the porch. He didn’t, and just continued on with a judgmental stare. “Imagine my surprise, to hear that the boy who’s been spending all kinds of time with my daughter is supposed to be getting married. My wife wanted to murder you. At least, that was until I reminded her that Cadence is a smart girl. I thought there had to be some sort of explanation. So, tell me. Are you really getting married?”

Slowly, I nodded.

“I am, but it’s not by choice. All I can say is I made a mistake, and now, I’m paying for it. I can’t really say anything more.”

Mr. Jimmy pressed his lips into a tight line, but he didn’t say anything right away. Instead, he stood and stared, appearing to size up the situation. He looked back and forth between my eyes like he was searching for something. I could only hope he saw the truth in my words and my desperation to see his daughter.

“Does Cadence know the details?”

“She does, sir.”

He grumbled something I couldn’t make out. He looked out, staring absently into the woods that lined the side of the house and shook his head.

“Well, it appears you’ve got yourself into quite the jam, now doesn’t it?” he eventually said. “I don’t know what’s going on, but I will say I’ve never seen my daughter take an interest in any boy the way she has with you.”

“I didn’t plan for this to happen. It just did,” I said earnestly. “When I tried to break things off, I didn’t do it the right way. Because of that, I need to set things right with her. I need to apologize.”

He watched me contemplatively again for a moment before offering a single nod.

“If that’s the case, I think you know where to find her.”

The lake.

“Thank you, sir!”

Without another word, I turned and sprinted down the steps. I ran back though the crowd of people. It had thinned some, but they still slowed my progress. I passed Creator Hall, then the barn, finally reaching the little parting in the trees that would take me to the lake. Just as it had been all summer, the clock was ticking, and the sun was setting. Except now, I only had one hour left. There would be no tomorrow with Cadence. This was it. The minute I climbed into the car that was supposed to take me home, it was all over.

The box of tapes rattled in my arms as I ran. I finally stopped running once I neared the end of the path. Walking the last few steps to the clearing, I tried to catch my breath. When the trees parted and the lake came into view, my steps faltered. Cadence was sitting alone on the dock, her back facing me, and she had the Boombox with her. Even from this distance, I could hear the music flowing from the speakers. She had on one of my mixed tapes, the one I had left in the cassette deck the last time we were here. Forever Young by Alphaville glided across the air.

I felt like there was a magnet pulling me toward her. Slowly, I put one foot in front of the other. Her golden hair shone like a halo around her head. She looked like an angel at sunset. My breath caught in my throat. The pain of what I was going to lose stole all the air from my lungs.

I was halfway to the dock when she turned to face me. I couldn’t tell if she was sad or happy to see me. She shook her head and held out a hand to stop me from coming any further, but I didn’t stop walking until I reached the edge of the dock. Only then did I pause. She stared at me, and I at her. Emotion welled up inside me, erupting from a place I didn’t know existed.

“I’m sorry, Cadence,” I called out. “I’m sorry for–”

I stopped, realizing I could be here all day apologizing for the multitude of ways I hurt her.

She closed her eyes and nodded before turning to gaze out over the water for a moment. When she looked back, I could see the tears glistening in her eyes. But then, much to my surprise, she smiled. It wasn’t a beaming, cheerful smile but one that came from a place of bitter sweetness.

“No regrets, Fitz.”

Then, she turned her back to me once more.

I wanted to go to her, to beg for her forgiveness. But for some reason, I knew the few words we exchanged were enough.

I still clutched the box of mixed tapes in my hands. Bending over, I placed it on the worn wooden planks of the dock. This summer, I had found paradise. I’d always be forever young in this magical place. But now, paradise was gone. I knew the memories we shared would forever play in my head, over and over again. Cadence, so beautifully untouched, had trusted me. She had given me not only her body, but her heart. Saying those three words, expressing she had no misgivings, told me what I needed to know. She knew I loved her and that was all that mattered.

Stepping away, I began to walk back toward the woods. I looked back only once. When I did, I saw Cadence standing at the beginning of the dock with the box of tapes opened at her feet. In her hand, she held a piece of paper. I knew what it was. It was an unfolded origami fortune teller, one I had made at some point during the night when sleep refused to come. Inside each of the four flaps, I had written four sentences.

Sunsets will always belong to you.

When it’s dark, I’ll remember you to find the light.

You will forever hold my heart.

Leaving you will always be my biggest regret.

Cadence stared at me with her hand held over her heart. I did the same, each of us sending our own silent messages. My throat tightened. An ache so all-consuming slammed into my chest, nearly causing me to choke.

As I turned to walk away, I took her in one final time. Her loose-fitting tank top billowed in the breeze, causing the pale blue material to cling to one side of her body. I memorized her every curve and the way the sun shone behind her golden hair. I breathed deep, hoping to catch a hint of her vanilla scent. I didn’t, but that was okay. I wished I could look into the expressive pools of her emerald green eyes once more. I couldn’t, but that was okay too. I’d never forget.

Just like I’d never forget her.